30 Days of Winter
by Jhay07
Summary: AU. In which Koujo Lin faces 30 days of grief, misery, and loss and his way to salvation. Day 3: Fated Encounters
1. Day 1: Missed Meeting

30 Days of Winter

Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt

Day 1: Missed Meetings

-oOo-

 _Hum._

 _A quiet note on a winter day._

 _A break from the monotonous play._

 _The sound of birds chirping in the sky._

 _The smell of spring closing by._

Day 1.

He started noticing her in the first day of winter. He was waiting for the train, as per his daily routine dictates. He never saw her at this time and on this train before, but she was there.

He can't remember when was the last time he became interested in other people. 'When was the last time I cared?' he mildly thought to himself. He wondered when was the last time curiosity piqued his interest. Ever since his wife died, his world suddenly spiraled downhill. His life became dull, like an old picture buried in the backyard. His once colorful and bright world became lifeless and colorless. The once full of life suddenly turned into black and white, a distant memory of the past.

Oliver and his other friends tried getting him out of his funk, but Koujo Lin couldn't just forget. The death of his wife took a toll in his life. His friends tried everything – getting more work done, going out for a drink every night, travelling to new places – but nothing could ever make him feel better. Oliver couldn't blame Lin for how he's acting – he knew perfectly well how it feels when an important person dies. The death of his twin made Oliver move to Japan.

His other friend Takigawa introduced him to otherfemale friends that he knew, but none of them made any appeal nor struck his interest.

Yet this girl, standing a few feet away from him, managed to catch his attention. She was there, standing behind the yellow line, patiently waiting for the train as well, all the while tapping her left foot in tune to whatever song she's currently listening to.

He couldn't help not to stare at her. Her petite body. Her dark brown hair that falls above her shoulder. Her big hazel eyes. There was something about her eyes that made him do a double take – a look of grief but still clinging to hope. The way she stands made Lin surmised that she's fighting her grief for the way she carries herself seemed to shout that she's ready to take the world again.

Koujo Lin just wanted to talk to her. He wanted to get to know her better. He wanted to know whether her voice is the same as his late wife's. He wanted to know what life beyond those eyes of her. He wanted to know her secret – what makes her fight to the very end. He wanted her to notice him; he wanted himself to pull her out of her grief so she can do the same to him. He wanted to stare at her eyes full of hope and let it overcome his loss, grief, and misery. But knowing himself, Koujo Lin didn't budge. He would not budge.

The train came and Lin lost her in the sea of crowd. He felt a slight pain of loss and wondered when would be the next time he will see her.

-oOo-

A/N: Well, what do you think?


	2. Day 3: Questioning Courage

Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt

Day 3: Questioning Encourage

He saw her yesterday. He saw her again today. Yesterday was the same as the day before yesterday. He never tried to say hi nor hello. He wasn't that friendly enough. And even the Japanese would find it weird if a stranger suddenly walks up and talk to you. Despite that fact, Lin kept an eye out for her.

Today, as he saw her stepped in to the station, was a bit different. Today, she was with a friend. Lin observed that her fired was the complete opposite of her –having quite a long, red hair and she seemed a bit older than her. By the looks of it, both of them are professionals just like him, more so the red-haired girl. Though both of them are clad in usual casual clothes, the way they carry themselves in public made Lin conclude that both are players in the business world like him. But as the old saying goes, 'Looks can be deceiving,' and Lin knew that assumptions and conclusions based merely by observations and without facts shouldn't be done hastily.

Lin stealthily chose the seat behind them. As bad as it sounds, he was eavesdropping. Lin knew better than to do that, but his desire to get to know the girl spurred him on. Taking the seat behind them, he overheard their conversation.

"So have you thought about my offer?" the red-haired girl asked.

"Ayako, I'm really glad for your offer, but I can't be putting this burden to you. You already did a lot of things and I am more than thankful for those. But living with you? That would be me pushing my boundaries already," the brown-haired girl replied back.

"Mai, you know that's not true," Ayako began. "There's not a single day that I thought you are being a burden to me. You are my friend and friends help each other. I never complained about it and I'm not complaining now nor in the future. I know you'll do the same for me if our situations were reversed. And no more buts, please," she slightly teased, letting out a long and exasperated but sarcastic sigh.

"Thanks so much for the offer, Ayako, but really – " Mai was cut off before she can even continue.

"There you go again with your buts. I told you already, right? Besides, how can you pick up where you left if that place reminds you of the past? I don't mean to be harsh, but I want you to move on, Mai. I know moving on can be really painful, and you don't want to forget about him… But you see, moving on doesn't really mean that you are forgetting that person. It's just simply going to a next chapter of your life with him in your heart. Besides, I know it's painful and the loss is great, but he wouldn't ever want you to be like this," Ayako continued, waving her hand in front of him, referring to Mai's state. "I know he wants you to be happy too,"

"Okay. Fine. You're making me feel guilty so much, Ayako. You know when you mean it, you can really be pushy sometimes," Mai replied. "I know where you're coming from and I do understand what you mean. I'll agree to live with you, but with only one condition."

"Sure, what is it?"

"You will let me pay the rent, or maybe at least half of your bills," Mai replied, looking out the train's window. The scenery outside served as her distraction.

"Okay. Deal," Ayako replied.

 _Tsugi ha Sannomiya. Sannomiya desu._ (Next station is Sannomiya. Sannomiya.)

"Next station's our stop. We'd better go near the entrance or we wouldn't be able to go out of the train again," Ayako joked. "Just like what happened last time,"

"Hey! It wasn't my fault you were blocking my view. And those other people were bigger than me. I didn't stand any chance at all," Mai hedged.

Over hearing their conversations made Lin surmise that the brown-haired girl (whom he finally learned the name – Mai) has also lost a beloved person. Her other friend obviously is trying to help her move on. Funny how their predicaments are the same – both of them trying to move on from the death of a loved one – and miserably failing at it. ' _Miserably. Why did I even think of that word? She doesn't look like in misery, but maybe I do_ ,' he added mentally.

If not for his friends, Lin wouldn't even know how to bounce back. He might have had followed his late wife to the grave.

Lin watched them as both the ladies alighted the train and blended in with the other people.

-oOo-

A/N: 30 days here don't really mean 30 days. Some events occur in random number/order of days. What do you guys think? Thanks!


	3. Day 6: Fated Encounters

Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt

Day 6: Fated Encounters

It was raining hard that day. Koujo Lin hated the rain most. He used to love it, as the rain was just an ordinary day to his already warm life. Nothing and no one could ever dampen his mood (maybe aside from his wife). But now, the rain is just a painful reminder of the loss he has – the accident that took the life of his beloved wife.

As his work demanded him to be present all the time (and not the other way around), he got up and got ready for work, but not in his usual pace. Normally, he would head immediately for a hot shower, to be followed by a warm breakfast made by his wife. But all of that is just a memory, a memory which he tries so hard to remember, but seemed a bit fogged in his mind.

It was half past eight when he got out of the house, the rain still adamant on pouring hard. As he walked towards the station, he realized that today would be the first time he wouldn't be seeing that girl – Mai. His (and her) usual train is always half past seven, but today is an exception. He wasn't counting on seeing her again for the rest of the week as well, as the weather reports stated that it will be raining for the whole week, and he wasn't feeling up to going up to work early in the morning in this weather.

That girl bothers him a lot. Not because they both know each other, rather because that girl reminds him a lot of something he is trying to forget. He wondered what piqued his interest in the first place. ' _Was it her eyes? Her disposition? The way she looks and stands?_ ' he idly thought. But in reality, Kou Lin knew. He knew so much the reason and that's why he's trying his best to avoid it also. He knew it then and there, the moment he first laid his eyes on her. The moment that recognition struck him. The moment he realized that that girl reminded him so much of his late wife.

Deep in his thoughts, he didn't see the bicycle sped past him. He nearly got knocked out, but managed to stay on his feet. The one riding the bicycle, however, hit the post box a few meters ahead of him. Good thing the rider was wearing a helmet; otherwise the impact could've made a concussion on him. Lin went over to check the status of the rider.

"Are you okay?" Lin inquired, checking to see if the rider was okay.

"Oh yes! I'm so sorry!" the rider replied, standing up to face the man whom he nearly hit. "I didn't mean it to happen. I nearly hit you, but it was a good thing I didn't. I'm really, really, really sorry!" the rider continued. Drenched and a bit disheveled, he faced the tall man.

Lin was taken aback.

Standing in front of him was the girl whom his late wife closely resembles.

Worry clouded his minded, as he made a quick mental check on the state of the girl in front of him. She's gotten quite a bruise on her elbows and scraped her knees, but other than those, she seemed okay.

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" He finally managed to say, pulling out another umbrella from his bag. "You know it's quite illegal to use your umbrella while riding your bicycle. You should know that," he admonished. "Here, take this. Yours is broken already, and it looks like the rain won't stop for today. You will need this,"

"Yeah. I know. But I couldn't do anything about it. I forgot to bring my raincoat and the only thing I have with me right now is that stupid umbrella of mine. I'm really, really sorry about what happened." Mai started, looking at the umbrella Lin was offering to her. "Are you sure it's okay for you to lend me this?"

"It's okay. I'm covered. I won't need it anyway. I just always bring a spare just in case things like this happen to me or to my colleagues," Lin replied.

"Thank you so much Mr. –?"

"Lin. Just call me Lin. And you are?"

"Mai. Taniyama Mai. How should I return your umbrella to you?"

"Keep it," Lin said. "You might be needing it someday in the future, or just pay it forward. Give it to the next person who will be needing it." Lin replied. Checking his watch, it read 9 o'clock sharp. "I should get going. I'll see you around," he continued. Walking past by her, he headed off towards the station.

"Thanks so much again, Lin-san! I owe you one!" Mai shouted from behind.

Lin's heart was pounding fast. He needed time to think. He wasn't expecting that the rider of the bicycle was her, let alone fate giving him the chance to personally know the name of the girl, and not just by eavesdropping. He realized that maybe, fate and life is helping him move on to the desolated state he was in. Maybe fate, this time, would go according to flow.

Upon arriving at the station (and despite him being late for his work), Lin noticed that the rain, which was pouring hard before, has turned into a drizzle. The clouds are parting, giving way for the sunlight to see its light.

Koujo Lin got on the train with a soft smile on his lips and light feeling in his heart.

-oOo-

A/N: What do you guys think of this chapter? I'm thinking of four-five more chapters before the epilogue. Thanks for reading!


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